Students in 2Nd Or 3Rd Grade
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Green Acres School Reading Suggestions for 2nd or 3rd Graders Updated June 2019 (The books recommended below are part of the Green Acres Library collection. Reading levels and interests vary greatly, so you may want to look also at Reading Suggestions for K/1st Graders and Reading Suggestions for 4th Graders.) This list includes: • Fiction Picture Books • Chapter Books (includes Series) • Longer Books and Read-Alouds • Poetry • Nonfiction (includes Biography and Memoir) Graphic books are denoted with the symbol. Fiction Picture Books Bildner, Phil. The Soccer Fence: A Story of Friendship, Hope and Apartheid in South Africa “Each time Hector watches white boys playing soccer in Johannesburg, South Africa, he dreams of playing on a real pitch one day. After the fall of apartheid, when he sees the 1996 African Cup of Nations team, he knows that his dream can come true.” Historical fiction. (Publisher) Blackall, Sophie. Hello Lighthouse "This tribute to lighthouses of an earlier era focuses on one lighthouse and its dedicated keeper. … A fascinating, splendidly executed peek into both the mundane and the dramatic aspects of lighthouse life.” (Kirkus Reviews) Clark-Robinson, Monica; illus. Let the Children March by Frank Morrison. "A vibrantly illustrated account of the Birmingham Children's Crusade through the eyes of a young girl who volunteers to participate.” Historical fiction. (Kirkus Reviews) Cooper, Floyd. Juneteenth for Mazie “Little Mazie wants the freedom to stay up late, but her father explains what freedom really means in the story of Juneteenth, and how her ancestors celebrated their true freedom.” (Publisher) Copeland, Misty. Firebird “American Ballet Theater soloist Misty Copeland encourages a young ballet student, with brown skin like her own, by telling her that she, too, had to learn basic steps and how to be graceful when she was starting out, and that someday, with practice and dedication, the little girl will become a firebird, too. Includes author's note about dancers who led her to find her voice.” (Publisher) Davies, Nicola. The Promise “On a mean street in a mean, broken city, a young girl tries to snatch an old woman's bag. But the frail old woman, holding on with the strength of heroes, says the thief can't have it without giving something in return: the promise.” (Publisher) 1 Dempsey, Kristy. A Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina’s Dream “Dreams do come true for a Harlem girl in the 1950s.” Historical fiction. (Kirkus Reviews) Díaz, Junot; illus. by Leo Espinosa. Islandborn “A young girl’s homework assignment unravels the history and beauty of her homeland [Dominican Republic].” (Kirkus Reviews) Engle, Margarita. Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music "Follows a girl in the 1920s as she strives to become a drummer, despite being continually reminded that only boys play the drums, and that there has never been a female drummer in Cuba." Historical fiction. (Publisher) Escoffier, Michaël. Where's the Baboon? "It's a book! It's a game! It's Super Bookgame! … In a word: outstanding.” (Kirkus Reviews) Faruqi, Reem; illus. by Lea Lyon. Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story “On the first year she is able to participate in Ramadan, Lailah finds herself in a new country, far from her native Abu Dhabi. She is excited to fast, but nervous that her classmates will not understand. With the help of a teacher and a librarian, she learns how she can explain Ramadan to her fellow students and make friends who are respectful of her culture.” (New York Times) Florence, Melanie; illus. by Gabrielle Grimard. Stolen Words "When Grandpa tells his granddaughter he has lost his Cree words, the 7-year-old asks for an explanation. … Unforgettable.” (Kirkus Reviews) Haack, Daniel; illus. by Stevie Lewis. Prince & Knight “A prince of marriageable age looks far and wide for a partner who sings the same tune.” (Kirkus Reviews) Hanson, Mary. How to Save Your Tail “If you are a rat nabbed by cats who really like stories about magic spoons, wolves with snout-warts, big, hairy chimney trolls … and cookies too, then you'll love this tale of tails. .… Clever and cunning, this is a recipe for laugh- out-loud fun, especially as a read-aloud.” (Kirkus Reviews) Harrison, Vashti. Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History "Perfect for exploring together at bedtime or for children to browse independently, a gorgeous invitation for children of all backgrounds, and especially for black girls, to learn about black women who were pioneers.” Collective biography. (Kirkus Reviews) Hopkinson, Deborah. Knit Your Bit: A World War I Story “When his father leaves to fight in World War I, Mikey joins the Central Park Knitting Bee to help knit clothing for soldiers overseas.” Historical fiction. (Publisher) Johnson, Angela. All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom “In 1865, members of a family start their day as slaves, working in a Texas cotton field, and end it celebrating their freedom on what came to be known as Juneteenth.” Historical fiction. (Publisher) Jung, Jin-Ho. Look Up! ”What can sidewalk activity mean to someone high above on a balcony? … Conceptually sophisticated; especially inviting for young artists ready to explore new visual angles.” (Kirkus Reviews) Khan, Rukhsana. King for a Day “Set in Pakistan during Basant, ‘the most exciting day of the year,’ this story focuses on the strength and resourcefulness of a child in a wheelchair as he navigates the skies at the spring kite festival.” (Kirkus Reviews) 2 Look, Lenore. Brush of the Gods “The life of the classical Chinese painter Wu Daozi is imagined as a magical artistic adventure.” (Kirkus Reviews) Moore, Sandra; illus. by Kazumi Wilds. The Peace Tree from Hiroshima: The Little Bonsai with a Big Story “Based on actual events, this picture book tells the story of an almost 400-year-old bonsai tree that survived the Hiroshima bombing.” Historical fiction. (School Library Journal) Recommended for 3rd graders. Morales, Yuyi. Dreamers “Based on her experience of leaving Mexico for the United States, Morales' latest offers an immigrant's tale steeped in hope, dreams, and love. … A resplendent masterpiece.” (Kirkus Reviews) Myers, Christopher. H.O.R.S.E.: A Game of Basketball and Imagination “Two teens on a city basketball court start a game of matching each other's shots. Miss five tries and you are out!” (Kirkus Reviews) O’Malley, Kevin. Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude A girl and a boy collaborate on writing a fairy tale for school. They take turns imagining and conjuring up characters, with the girl delivering the ultimate plot twist. Peacock, Shane; illus. by Sophie Casson. The Artist and Me “A low-key yet powerful picture-book evocation of the final days of an eccentric artist who was both a victim of his own demons and the target of village bullies.” Historical fiction. (Kirkus Reviews) Phi, Bao; illus. by Thi Bui. A Different Pond “A fishing trip is not just a fishing trip in this poignant, semiautobiographical tale. … Spare and simple, a must-read for our times.” (Kirkus Reviews) Polacco, Patricia. The Blessing Cup “History, religious persecution, immigration, and the skeins of faith and love that connect a family are all knit together in this powerful, accessible and deeply affecting story.” Historical fiction. (Kirkus Reviews) Poulin, Andrée; illus. by Félix Girard. That’s Not Hockey! “A clever introduction to the game-changing career of professional hockey goalie Jacques Plante.” (Kirkus Reviews) Poulin, Andrée; illus. by Isabelle Malenfant; Pablo Finds a Treasure transl. from French by Andrée Poulin. "A young boy must salvage recyclable material from a mountain of trash in order to earn money for his family. … Poverty is difficult to grasp if one is not living it; this story may help nurture empathetic future generations.” (Kirkus Reviews) Reynolds, Aaron. Back of the Bus "From the back of the bus, an African American child watches the arrest of Rosa Parks." Historical fiction. (Publisher) Robertson, Robbie. Hiawatha and the Peacemaker "A legend-based tale about the unification of warring tribes into what would become known as the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy.” Folk tale. (Kirkus Reviews) Robinson, Sharon. Under the Same Sun “Robinson, author of many acclaimed books about her famous father, Jackie Robinson, writes in this true story about her mother, Rachel (known as Bibi to the grandchildren). Here, she celebrates her 85th birthday on safari in Tanzania with her son and daughter-in-law and their seven children.” (Kirkus Reviews) 3 Sanna, Francesca. The Journey “A timely, powerful picture book about refugees.” (Kirkus Reviews) Santat, Dan. Are We There Yet? "A boy feels time slowing down so much that it starts going backward--into the time of pirates! Of princesses! Of dinosaurs! The boy was just trying to get to his grandmother's birthday party." (Publisher) Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Bully Spare, powerful words and simple, bold visual images lend themselves to conversations about bullying. Sheth, Kashmira; illus. by Yoshiko Jaeggi. My Dadima Wears a Sari “Rupa's grandmother wears beautiful saris every day, and Rupa wants to know if she ever gets tired of them.” (Kirkus Reviews) Stinson, Kathy; illus. by Dušan Petričić. The Man with the Violin "A Stradivarius on the subway? This Canadian import tells the story of violinist Joshua Bell's quirky experiment. Imaginatively illustrated and beautifully written, this offbeat ode to the power of music is a winner.” (Kirkus Reviews) Thompson, Laurie Ann. Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Ofosu Yeboah "Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people--but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams." (Publisher) Tonatiuh, Duncan. Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale “A brilliant modern fable—eloquent, hopeful and heart-rending—about a rabbit family whose members cross the border in search of a better life, and each other.” (Kirkus Reviews) Tonatiuh, Duncan.